Corner trim



y 13, 1952 R. A. STONE ET AL CORNER TRIM Filed Dec. 22, 1948 INVE/VTORS. fi yCZ. 525728, BY jioeri/lfflzizam Q I Y I, a

Patented May 13, 1952 CORNER TRIM Roy A. Stone and Robert M. Whittom, Rockford, Ill., assignors to National Lock Company, Rockford, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application December 22, 1948, Serial No. 66,786

7 Claims.

This invention pertains to the construction of structures such as cabinet or cupboard doors and drawers, panels, shelves, etc., made from sheet metal, sheet plastics and other sheet material including composition board, plywood, etc., and, more particularly, to a simple and effective yet economical corner construction for structures of the types and composed of the kinds of materials mentioned. The invention will be disclosed herein in its application to a corner construction for a cupboard or cabinet door made from sheet metal and in two forms but it should be understood that such particular exemplifications are chosen solely for convenience and that neither to such form nor in such application is the invention limited.

A simple and relatively inexpensive, yet strong and attractive sheet metal article, as for instance,

a cabinet door, may be made by stamping or otherwise forming the metal sheet to provide flanges along all or a substantial number of the edges of the sheet with the flanges extending at an angle less than a straight angle to the general plane of the sheet. In order to increase the strength of the resulting product, especially if the metal is of light gauge, and to enhance the flnal appearance as well as to avoid rough edges which might injure a user, it is desirable and usual either to notch out the corners and weld or rivet the adjacent ends of the flanges together or to fold the metal thereat when notching is not employed. However, any of such operations is expensive and adds substantially to the finished product even when the flanges so provided are flat, i. e. each, in effect, is a plane surface, but

when any is broken or curved in transverse section, the problems and expense of joining the adjacent ends of adjacent flanges are veryconsiderably multiplied.

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the invention to provide a construction and an arrangement whereby a structural article such as a cabinet door may be made from sheet material with one or more flanges of curved or rounded or broken (irregular) surface or section, which will avoid the otherwise necessary expense and problems heretofore incident to such construction and which should not only not materially increase but which may decrease the expense and problems in eflecting such construction over the costs and problems involved in making plain flanges.

Another important object is to provide a corner construction for articles composed of sheet materials, particularly sheet metal, whereby the appearance of the resulting product as well as its 2 strength and utility may be substantially improved over prior processes and constructions.

Still another object is to provide a novel type of corner piece or escutcheon adapted to secure, to strengthen and to ornament the corner junctures of flanges of articles of the character above mentioned.

Many other objects as well as the advantages and uses of the invention will become apparent after reading the following description and claims and viewing the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view representative of a cabinet door or drawer as it would appear in elevation when made according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of upper right hand corner fragment of the door or drawer of Fig. 1 on a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in rear elevation of the corner fragment of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view in vertical section taken along the section line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and showing the opposite side flange and corner assembly of the door;

Fig. 5 is a detail view in horizontal section taken along the section line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

s Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of a modified type of corner construction;

Fig. '7 is a view in rear elevation of the modifled type of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a detail view in section taken along section line 88 of Fig. 7.

Shown in Fig. 1 is a fragment, designated IQ, of a cabinet frame, an opening which is covered by a door, generally designated II, constructed in accordance with the invention. The door may be hinged to the cabinet frame by hinges (not shown) preferably along either of its longer edges and, as represented in Fig. 2 on a larger scale, includes a generally flat portion or panel area 12 with rearwardly turned right angle flanges i3 extending along each of its longer margins and rearwardly turned rounded flanges or marginal portions I4 extending along its top and bottom edges. It will be noted that the side flanges l3, are flat or plain so that their external surfaces lie in one plane each with such planes parallel to one another, and that the curves of the upper and lower marginal edge portion or flanges I4 are rounded through approximately on a single radius in the embodiment illustrated. A corner piece or escutcheon member l5 composed of plastic or cast or stamped sheet metal and which may include ornamental stripping IB, is attached at each of the corners of the door, there being two right-hand and two leftcent curved flange I4.

hand corner pieces for a structure of the character illustrated.

If the door II, constructed of sheet metal, was made in any usual manner, that is by the usual processes, it would be necessary to form the ends of each of the flanges I3 to conform to the rounded surfaces of the flanges or curved portions I4 at'the ends of the latter. 'If the door and corners were to be formed by drawing operations, or by bending the flanges from a sheet not notched at the corners and thereafter crimping the corner folds down against one or the other of the flanges, commercial production would require expensive equipment and operationsto effect the drawing and folding or to stretch or stretch and compress the metal at'such corner through the use of suitable forming dies; assuming that a ragged or rough and unsightly corner is to be avoided. If the ends of the flanges I3 are cut to conform to the curvature of the adjacent curved-portions I4, then it wouldordinarily be desirable to weldthe mating edges together to provide the requisite strength, and thereafter to grind or-otherwise smooth the surface to eliminate roughness.

Any of such processes would entail expensive dies or forming tools and expensive and time-consuming operations. Instead of .constructing the corner in such manner, the invention contemplates cuttin awaya short portion of the'end of each ofthe straight or flat flanges I3, that is notching out of the corners of the flat sheet before marginal: edges thereof are turned rearwardly to form the flanges I3 and I4 and, after the flanges have been turned, utilizing the .specially constructed corner pieces .or es- 2);

I4 and the plain or flat surface I2 or, as is preferred, slightly beyond such line of tangency, in which case such end portion of the flange is notched or cut as indicatedat I 8 to provide clearance for the adjacent curved section of the adiais being stamped or cut, and either at thetime 'thatytheiflanges I 4 and I3 are formed or prior theretothe sheet metal. or other sheet material :is

These slots serve to effect interlocking connection with the corner pieces I5 and to position such corner pieces, as will be further.de--

scribed.

Each corner piece whichmay be composed of sheet metal, plastic or othermaterial, is formed in the shape illustrated for a square corner and includes a long wall portion 22 and a short wall portion 23 joined together along one side edge of each'to provide a V bottom generally designated 24. In this instance the long wall22 is curved ,as at 25 to conform to the curvature of the end portion of a flange I4, while the short wall 23 is flat to conform to the flange I3, but is of such length as to overlap the flange [3 for a short dis- .tance, as will be noted. The rear orunderside of .the long wall ;of eachcorner piece has marginal .portions 26conforming to the outer surface :of'

At the time that the door those portions of the door against which it is intended firmly to rest, and the inner or undersurface of the short wall 23 is similarly designed to contact the outer surface of the adjacent end of a flange I3 as indicated at 27, when the corner piece is in place. At the rear side of each corner piece, in positions where they may pass through the slots or apertures I9 and 2 I-respectively, and,

preferably, integral with the corner piece or firmly secured thereto, are what may be termed a hooked projection 28 and a straight projection 29. The proportions of the hooked rojection 28 will be such as to permit it to pass through the slot or aperture I 9 and to permit it to hook behind and restagainst the inside surface of the door panel I2 along a marginal portion of the door paneldeflning the slot I 9.

Preferably, the arrangements and proportions are-such that the corner pieces are placed over the corners with the hooked portions of projections 28 in positions to enter th slots I9,

whereupon a gentle but firm pressure within the elastic limits of the material of the corner pieces will urge them through the slots, movement of thecorner pieceslongitudinally of the doortoward the opposite end thereof serving to engage the hooked projections 28 behind the marginal edges defining the slots l9and causing the projections 29 to snap into the slots or apertures 2|. In this position each short wall 23 should have fairly firm contacting engagement with the outer surfaceof the adjacent end of-a flange I3 along the area indicated at 21, and the mar ginal surfaces 26' should be firmly contacting the corresponding outer. surface areas-of the door panel I2, all as illustrated.

In the modification illustrated-in-Figs 6; 7 and 8 the front face panel I2 of thedoor has but a single aperture 3i which, preferably,'is elongated for reception of an elongated hookedprojection 32 adapted to snap overa marginal portion 33 of 'thefront :panel I2. In this form, the short Wall 23 is thickened-and slotted as indicated at 34 for reception of'the end edge portion 35 of the flat flange I 3', the slot serving, in effect, the functions of the projection 29 of the previously described form. An ornamenting strip 16 maybe employedto enhance the appearance of the corner piece.

The. corner pieceof this modified form ofFigs.

-6, 7 and .8 .is.applied somewhat after the manner in which the corner piece of thepreviously described form is applied. ln this operationjthe corner is so positioned asto cause the and edge 35 of thedoor edge flangeto :enter the slot 34,

whereuponalignment of'the hooked projection 32 with theslot or aperture 3] and flrm pressure "Will cause the projection-2 .tozenter' the. slot the corner by holding the flat and curved flanges orv marginal edges .of the, door firmly-in their set positions, to render unnecessary any special forming of the corner flanges Wherebythey may be joined by other means, tocover from sight and possible injurious effects any rough-edges or I other malformation :of. the :edges of the flanges at the corner, and to lend-an ornamental and unique appearance to the final structure. The construction also permits a substantial reduction in constructcion'costs not only in the sense that it renders unnecessary the use of expensive dies and forming tools, but also in the senses that lighter and less expensive metals or other materials may be employed, and the same care that constructions not made in accordance with the invention would of necessity require, is not needed. The invention has other advantages which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

While we have illustrated and described the invention in particular embodiments, it will be appreciated and understood that the invention is susceptible of other embodiments and mother forms, for which reason we do not desire to be limited except by the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A corner construction for cabinet doors and similar structures made of sheet material wherein the structure includes a generally flat exterior surface area, comprising, a first marginal edge portion extending at an angle less than a straight angle to and extending along one margin of said surface area and terminating in an edge spaced from the corner, a second marginal edge portion extending along an adjacent margin of said surface area and being curved from the terminus of the first said marginal edge portion to its outer terminal edge, the said marginal portions projecting rearward in the same general direction with respect to the general plane of said exterior surface area, and a one-piece corner finishing member interlockingly engaged over the corner, said finishing member having a part covering and generally conforming to said exterior surface area, a part covering and conforming to the curvature of said second marginal edge portion and another part extending over the area from the said spaced edge of the first marginal portion to the end of the curved edge of the second marginal portion.

2. A corner construction for cabinet doors and similar structures made of sheet material wherein the structure includes a generally flat exterior surface area, comprising, a first marginal edge portion extending at an angle less than a straight angle to and extending along one margin of said surface area and terminating in an edge spaced from the corner, a second marginal edge portion extending along an adjacent margin of said surface area and being curved from the terminus of the first said marginal edge portion to its outer terminal edge, the said marginal portions projecting rearward in the same general direction with respect to the general plane of said exterior surface area, said structure having a slot formed therethrough adjacent to one of said marginal edge portions, and a one-piece corner finishing member engaged over the corner, said finishing member having a part covering and generally conforming to said exterior surface area, a part covering and conforming to the curvature of said second marginal edge portion, a part extending over the area from the said spaced edge of the first marginal portion to the end of the curved edge of the second marginal portion and an integral hooked projection disposed through said slot and interlockingly engaged with the rear surface area of the structure along a portion of a marginal edge defining said slot.

3. A corner construction for the corner juncture of marginal edges of cabinet doors and simi- =6 lar structures composed of sheet material comprising, a main surface portion terminating in a pair of adjacent marginal edge portions at a corner, one, of said marginal edge portions extending at an angle less than a straight angle to the general plane of the outer face of said main surface portion and rearwardly with respect to said outer face and terminating in an edge spaced from the. corner, the other of said marginal edge portions being rounded and extending rearward relative to said outer face from its juncture with said main surface portion, said main surface portion having a slot therein adjacent to one of said marginal portions, and a corner cover member having portions adapted to engage each of the outer surfaces of said marginal portions and said main surface portion and having a hooked projection for interlocking engagement with and behind a marginal edge defining the slot in the main surface portion.

4. A corner construction for the corner juncture or marginal edges of cabinet doors and similar structures composed of sheet material comprising, a main surface portion terminating in a pair of adjacent marginal edge portions at a corner, one of said marginal edge portions extending at an angle less than a straight angle to the general plane of the outer face of said main surface portion and rearwardly with respect to said outer face, the other of said marginal edge portions being rounded and extending rearward relative to said outer face from its juncture with said main surface portion, said main surface portion having a slot therein adjacent to one of said marginal portions, and a one-piece corner cover member having integral portions adapted to overlie and engage each of the outer surfaces of said marginal portions and said main surface portion and having a hook-like projection disposed in interlocking engagement with and behind a marginal edge defining the slot in the main surface portion.

5. As an article of manufacture, a corner coverpiece of the character described comprising, a piece of sheet-like material formed to provide a long wall and a short wall joined together along one side edge of each to provide a V-shaped portion at one end of the wall pair with an end portion of the long wall extending longitudinally for a substantial distance beyond the corresponding end of the short wall and provided with a peripheral inturned flange, one of said walls being curved concavely on the inside of the V-shaped portion throughout substantially the entire length thereof, and a hook-like projection carried by said end portion and projecting rearwardly therefrom for securing the article to a member of the character described.

6. A corner construction for the junctures of marginal edges of cabinet doors and similar structures composed of formed sheet material comprising, a relatively flat sheet having a rearwardly turned marginal edge portion extending substantially at right angles to the general plane of the front face of the sheet and terminating at a place a predetermined distance from the corner juncture, the adjacent marginal edge portion of the sheet being curved rearwardly from the general plane of said sheet face beginning substantially at said predetermined place, said sheet having a pair of spaced slots formed therethrough adjacent to said marginal edge portions, and a corner cover member having sheet contacting parts substantially conforming to the outer surfaces of each of said marginal portions and t0 

